Tips to Make Family Vacations Affordable and Fun
Or How to Stay Sane During a 12-Hour Drive While Stuck In the Car with 3 Children

08/02/2013

As I have been
thinking about wild rides this week, I’ve been thinking about all of the
amusement park visits I have been on, all the rides I have ridden, all the
places I have been. (Sounds a bit Dr. Seuss-like doesn’t it?)

It got me to
thinking – of all the rides I have been on, what do I consider to be the
wildest and craziest to date?

I think of all
the wild rides, the craziest to date has got to be the Superman roller coaster
at Six Flags New England.

When I rode
this ride a number of years ago, it was still called Superman: Man of Steel. In
reading some articles about it, I’ve learned that the name has since changed to
Bizarro, the name of a lesser-known villain of Superman’s. The theme park has
redesigned the story around the coaster (something about Bizarro taking over
the Superman ride, but Superman prevailing in the end).

From what I can
tell, though, despite a different color and some extra “bling”, the ride itself
still seems to be the same.

What makes this
ride stand out is that the first hill you ascend is 208 feet high, but the drop
on the other side is 221 feet! This sounds impossible, but it works, because
not only do you descend quickly - getting up to speeds around 75 mph – at the
bottom of the drop you go directly into a foggy tunnel. And when you fly back
up out of the tunnel on the other side, it’s like you are Superman!

The seats don’t
have those over the shoulder harnesses. It’s just a simple lap belt with a
U-shaped safety bar across your lap. So, when you hit that first descent, you
can literally feel yourself lift slightly out of the seat.

Yes, this is
that ride where my scream was still at the top of the ride while I was already
at the tunnel!!

So, how about
the rest of the Road Trip Family? For Sweet Pea, she loved Hollywood Studio’s
Tower of Terror in Disney World, but I think that ride has recently been topped
by her discovery of the thrills with riding the Comet at Six Flags Great
Escape.

For Peanut,
nothing has topped the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney World’s Hollywood
Studios. By far, her favorite ride to date. Although, Space Mountain is a close
second!

For Pumpkin,
well, I think she is still having nightmares about that kiddie coaster ride at
PEI (see Monday’s blog). For her, the ferris wheel at PEI is just her speed.

And as for My
Chandler –he enjoys the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, too – as long as he hasn’t had
anything to eat or drink!

07/31/2013

There is a ride
at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios that is crazy, wild and just a little bit
insane. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opened in 1994, but it took me until
we went in 2000 before I would venture on this ride.

The ride is
situated in a building that looks like a rundown, deserted old hotel. When you
enter the “dusty” old lobby, you are ushered into a room where you watch a
short video about the story behind the hotel.

Little trivia
tip – the video is hosted by Rod Serling, the creator of the Twilight Zone
television series and throughout the attraction you can find memorabilia from
different episodes of The Twilight Zone.

The haunting
story about five people who boarded an elevator in the hotel only to disappear
mysteriously after the elevator is struck by lightning sets the stage for the
ride. Because now, as guests we get to ride the only working elevator in the
building – the maintenance elevator.

What follows is
a harrowing ride which features “ghosts”, a horizontal ride through a “fifth
dimension” and then the ultimate thrill – the drops.

Yes, I said
drops. As in plural. As in they keep lifting you and dropping you 13 floors!

And to top it
off, they open up a door at one point so you can briefly – oh, so briefly –
look out over the park.

Before you
plummet, again.

And what makes
this ride even more “terror”-fying is that you are only held by a belt over
your lap, so when you drop, you actually lift off your seat a little.

My Chandler
discovered that sitting on his hat for the ride was probably not the best idea
when the lady in front of him handed him his hat after the ride was done.

My favorite
part of the ride? The gift shop with assorted items that would be sold at a
hotel – soaps and soap dishes, terry cloth robes, a souvenir photo.

Yeah, while the
shop was good and I did get my “I Survived the Tower of Terror” button, I am
not sure I ever want to do this ride, again! Hence the reason I sent My Chandler with Sweet Pea when she decided to try this ride!

07/30/2013

As we’ve been
planning a trip to an amusement park, I’ve been thinking about different wild
rides that I have been on over the years. And there have been quite a few that
have been fun, exhilarating and a little bit scary!

There is a ride
at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure in Florida that we originally had no
plans to ride. But, it quickly became one of the best rides of that day!

When we visited
the park, the Harry Potter area of the park had just opened. Being huge fans of
the books and movies, we thought it would be fun to see what this park had to
offer.

That was really
the main reason we had decided to go to this park. And we figured that since it
was a new section and we had heard all these stories about amazingly long
lines, we’d only be spending out time in this section of the park.

Surprisingly,
though, the lines were not too bad and we found ourselves with some time in the
afternoon and early evening to visit the rest of Islands of Adventure.

We ventured
over to the Jurassic Park section of the park.

The kids were
not familiar with this movie, but seemed to still enjoy the idea of a dinosaur
themed area. There was the Pternondan Flyers, a swing type ride for kids to
experience a birds’ eye view of the land, there was a playground area, and
there was a hands-on science area with cool features such as the area where you
can test your DNA to find out what kind of dinosaur you would be or the nursery
where you can see a baby velociraptor hatching.

By far, the wildest
ride in this part of the park was the Jurassic Park River Adventure. Much like
Splash Mountain at Disney World, this water raft ride tells a story as you move
down the river and ultimately make a big splash at the end.

For those of us
familiar with the movie, it was a very realistic story based on the movie . The premise of the ride is that you are taking
a tour of the newly built – and supposedly safe - Jurassic Park. And the ride starts off quite
peacefully. You see different types of dinosaurs such as a baby Stegosaurus and
its mother. But, then your raft is “accidentally” bumped off course and you end
up in the restricted section of Jurassic Park. And suddenly, you find yourself
trying to flee from the evil velociraptors who have broken loose. Chaos unfolds
around you, until you find yourself plunging 85 feet in total darkness to
escape a fate at the hands of a terrifying T-rex.

There’s no time
for a sigh of relief, though, as you scream down that final plunge into a wall
of water!

Pumpkin was not
interested in going on this ride at all, so she and Grandma watched from the
relative dryness of the viewing area. The rest of us decided to brave the ride,
though. While Grandpa, Sweet Pea, My Chandler and I all managed to get
extensively splashed, Peanut proved to be the genius of the group and
strategically placed herself in the middle of the seat and conveniently ducked
down in a way that helped her stay almost completely dry!

In reality, I
think she was ducked way down with her eyes closed for most of the ride!

07/29/2013

Last summer, while on vacation, I witnessed my two older girls going off to ride a roller coaster together. Alone.

Without me or My Chandler.

For me, it was kind of bittersweet to watch them enjoy something that I love.

For My Chandler, it was a relief that he didn’t have to ride the coaster! He and wild rides don’t always mix!

Two days later, I watched my youngest, Pumpkin, take her first spin on a kiddie roller coaster with Peanut.

Followed by a very quick stop by the ride attendant to let her off.

Followed by tears from Pumpkin because the ride was too scary and bumpy.

For her, carousels and ferris wheels are more her speed.

I was a bit surprised that one of my children would not like a roller coaster.

And then I remembered my first time on a roller coaster.

It was a kiddie coaster, much like the one that Pumpkin had just attempted on her own.

I was so excited to go on this ride at the small amusement park in York, Maine. I was about the same age as Pumpkin is now and my aunt and her roommate were taking me and my sister on some of the rides in this park. The kiddie coaster looked amazing to my small eyes and I couldn’t wait to try it out.

When it was time to board, I sat down in the car with my aunt while her roommate sat with my sister behind us. The excitement started to build. And then, the coaster took off around the (mini) track.

We weren’t even fully around the track when I started to cry. I wanted off this ride!

I remember feeling a mixture of embarrassment and relief as the coaster came to a stop to let me and my aunt off before it resumed for the others in the cars.

Relief that I didn’t have to be on that scary, bumpy ride anymore.

Embarrassment that my younger sister was completely fine with the coaster and stayed on for the rest of the ride, waving to me with a huge grin every time they went around the track.

But, as I grew, I gained a better appreciation for coasters and will gladly escort one of my kids on the latest and greatest coasters.

07/25/2013

One year, we decided to visit Disney World in August. In Florida. The hot days of summer in a hot locale. Did I mention that it was hot during this trip?

We knew it would be hot, but we weren’t quite prepared for just how hot it was really going to be. I believe that the temperature never ducked below 100 degrees the whole time we were there!

Despite the heat, we did have fun. How could you not at the Happiest Place on Earth?

It was during this trip that we learned a few tricks to stay cool that didn’t just include jumping into a pool every time we passed one! Yes, we did take advantage of the pools and the water parks and the splash/ sprinkler areas around the parks.

But, we had a few extra tricks up our sleeves as well to help feel cool throughout the day.

Misting fans were a big hit for our family. These are water bottles with little battery operated fans attached to the top. A little squirt of water while the fan is blowing and it’s a great way for a quick cool down. or a water fight! Disney World does sell them throughout the parks, but we found them cheaper at a local grocery store.

Another little trick that I attribute to My Chandler were the water bottles that we had every day. He would fill the water bottles half full every night and freeze them. Then the next day, he’d fill the rest up with water. The ice from those would melt over the day, creating continuous cold water. How refreshing it was to have cold water always at our fingertips!

Of course, the best way to cool off at Disney World is to enter an air-conditioned attraction at the park!

But, even when it is
not that time of year, Disney World offers a bit of that holiday magical season
year round with their Disney Days of Christmas store in Downtown Disney.

I have
mentioned in a past blog entry how much I love to collect
ornaments while on vacation. Not only is it a great little memento, but it
provides great memories as I unwrap our ornaments and we decorate our tree.
Often, the conversations as we decorate are filled with, “Do you remember…” and “I had so much fun on that trip” and “I
want to go back there.”

Our tree has
lots of ornaments that are Disney-themed, too. Now, granted, some of them were
gifts we have received over the years. But, a lot of them did come from the
Disney Christmas store. Some have years printed on them to highlight that particular vacation.

Some are just
characters that meant a lot to someone in our family at that time (like Jessie
from Toy Story 2).

One year, we
even got a Winnie the Pooh-themed countdown calendar that the girls still love
to use.

There is such a
feeling of the holidays in that store, that you sometimes forget the actual
time of year. I was so wrapped up one time, that it was quite a shock to step
out of that store into the hot August sun!

07/22/2013

With the heat
wave hitting the Northeast this past week and seeing recent advertising on
television about Christmas in July, I started reminiscing about a trip we took
when I was a little girl. I think I was maybe 4 or 5.

It was
summertime and it was hot. But, there was a place near Wilmington, NY, in the
Adirondack mountains where it was just a little bit colder - magically colder.

It’s called the
North Pole and it can be found in Santa’s Workshop, a themed park that actually
boasts the address of North Pole, NY.

Our visit must
have made quite the impact on me, because even though I was very young, to this
day I have very vivid memories of this place.

I remember
getting to touch the North Pole, an actual frosty cold pole situated in the
center of Santa’s little village.

There was a
building where you could see reindeer. Actual reindeer! And each one had their
name on their stall. (Are you singing the song right now? I am!)

I remember
going to visit the big man himself, jolly old St. Nick. It wasn’t even
December! I hadn’t even made my Christmas list, yet! (Although, I am sure I
came up with some suggestions for him, anyway!)

I remember
there being some rides to go on and sleighs to sit in. I remember it feeling
very “Christmas-y” and kind of magical in this little village.

But, the
biggest memory for me was my acting debut at Santa’s Workshop. There was a
short skit that was being performed at an outdoor stage area in the park and we
decided to check it out. My sister and I were given permission to head down
towards the gate at the front of the seating area so we could see the show a
bit better.

Call it luck,
or just being in the right place at the right time, but I was selected by an
elf to be a part of the show.

I got invited
on stage and was given the honor of sitting next to Mother Goose as she read a
story.

Don’t ask me
what the show was about. I think I was too mesmerized by this opportunity to be on stage to fully
remember what the plot.

But, I do vaguely
recall it was a mystery that needed to be solved. I do remember needing to skip
around the stage with Red Riding Hood and being shocked when her shoe came off.
And I do remember being even more shocked that she just kept right on going and
didn’t go back to get it!

It was hard
work pulling off a convincing role as “child who helped solve the mystery.”
But, I did it and I was rewarded with a special Santa hat with my name on it.

A hat that I
still have to this day!

The hat is
still around and so is the workshop. There are still rides and shows with the
Mother Goose Players. The reindeer are still there and so is Santa Claus. You
can still get Santa hats and cookies.

07/19/2013

If you drive around Prince Edward Island’s countryside you’ll see a familiar site – acres and acres of farmland. We couldn't get over how much of the island was devoted to farms and farming. In fact, with all of the farms and with all of the coastline ripe for fishing, it's wasn't really a surprise to read that the food industry is one of the biggest contributors to Prince Edward Island's economy.

And for the week that we were there, we helped contribute to their economy through food!

One of the foods that the island is perhaps most famous for is the seafood that is caught around the island, especially the mussels. I can't get over the number of people who told us to try the mussels when we got to the island!

What's really neat is that because you are on an island with tons of coastline, you can probably be sure that the fresh-cooked seafood meal that you get at a restaurant was probably caught not far from where you are dining!

The food we enjoyed the most while in PEI, though, was the PEI potato! The first time we tried them was when we picked up a bag at a local farm stand. These delicious potatoes practically melted in our mouths! And it didn’t matter how we fixed them – mashed, baked, made into French fries. They always tasted heavenly.

I’m not sure why these were any different than other potatoes.

Perhaps it’s because they were freshly picked on the farm when we bought them. Perhaps it has something to do with the rich, sandy red soil that they are grown in. Perhaps it has something to do with the temperatures on the island or even the fact that they are grown on an island.

Whatever the case may be, these potatoes made for delicious meals every day!

Even when we had to eat a few cold fries in the car because I panicked at the last minute thinking we wouldn’t be able to take them back over the border!

07/18/2013

We had access to a beautiful semi-private beach where we stayed. It was on the northern side of the island in Darnley. The beach stretched for miles and miles in both directions and only the homes in the immediate vicinity had access to this beach.

Because you had to walk down the steep red dirt dunes, too, when you were on the beach you saw very few homes and very few people.

In fact, it wasn’t unusual to have only a handful of families in our immediate area of the beach. And sometimes it was even less.There were times where we’d be the only family on our stretch of the beach. It was like our own little slice of heaven.

We’d often come down and spend a couple of hours on the beach, whether it was swimming or walking along the beach or searching for the biggest sea shell or flying kites or playing bocce ball. It was a truly relaxing time for all of us and we heard very little bickering!

One night, we decided to pack the cooler and some beach blankets and have ourselves a beach cookout. We carted everything down to the beach and set up a little fire ring in the sand (which actually wasn’t that hard as there was the remains of one that we found).

Our little fire ring was in a nice shady spot near the dunes, which helped protect the fire from being blown out by any winds. My Chandler also enjoyed the fact that he could use some flatter spots on the cliff side of the dunes as work space.

We did discover a disadvantage to this little set up, though, as the sun started to go down. It grew a lot colder!

For My Chandler, the cook of the family, cooking over an open fire on the beach was an activity he was more than happy to take on. All of his camping and boy scout experiences and knowledge was put to good use. There were a few challenges along the way - like the hamburgers that he cooked in the camp broiler that were awkward to handle until he found a way to prop it up. But, the end result was that we were treated to a wonderful beachside meal of hotdogs and hamburgers and cooked potatoes and carrots.

My Chandler was particularly pleased with the way the potatoes came out. He ended up using two sandstone rocks from the fire ring and placing them on either side of a section of coals. He then laid the grate from the gas grill on those and placed a foil-wrapped package of potatoes and carrots on that. The result – perfectly cooked side dish! Although, part of that may be the fact that we were having more yummy PEI potatoes, a delicacy that I’ll talk more about tomorrow!

We wrapped up our beach meal with the must-have dessert for all campfires – s’mores! And as we enjoyed those, we also enjoyed the wonderful sunset. A perfect way to end another perfect day at PEI!